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Monday, September 9, 2002

Commissioners face golf course waster shutdown

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Monday, Sept. 9, 2002 -- Water bills, including one for more than
$12,000 at the Reeves County Golf Course, were the subjects of discussion
for County Commissioners this morning.

Commissioners also approved payments to several contractors working at
the site of the new Reeves County Detention Center III and discussed an item
under reports from various departments that the group agreed needed to be
looked at more carefully.

Reeves County Commissioner Precinct 1 Felipe Arredondo questioned the
water bill from the Town of Pecos City for water provided at the Reeves County
Golf Course.

"This bill seems really high," said Arredondo. "It's for $12,310, for
four months."

"We received a disconnect notice from the city, I just wanted you to be
aware of that," said county auditor Lynn Owens.

Owens told the court that the county is averaging over $3,000 a month
in water at the golf course. "I don't know if they did do a disconnect, they
never got back to me," said Owens.

"Eventually we'll have to recycle our own water," said Arredondo.

Owens said that there was a water well out at the course.

"We're paying too much for city water," said Precinct 4 Commissioner Hivi
Rayos.

Owens told the group that the Reeves County Juvenile Detention Center
had also received a high water bill.

"They've asked the city employees to look into it and see if there's a
problem out there," said Owens. "At one time they did notice that the construction
workers (at the Reeves County Detention Center) were tying up their hoses
to their water, because it was closer."

Owens said that the city had agreed to check both places to see where
the problem lies.

"I think we've been very kind to city and we need to see if we can meet
with them," said Precinct 3 Commissioner Herman Tarin, who was in charge
of today's meeting in place of Reeves County Judge Jimmy B. Galindo, who
was absent this morning.

"I think we can communicate with these people and negotiate," said Tarin.

"That's what the judge said, but they haven't met yet," said Arredondo.

Tarin said that everything the county does is for the better of the community.
"The golf tournaments we have out there, bring people in to the community
and they spend money here," he said.

Payments to several contractors were approved as presented. "All the documentation
on these payment requests are in and have been verified with the architect
and approved," said Owens.

Several change orders were also approved during the regular meeting.

Curt Nissen, construction manager for Carothers Construction, the main
contractors working at the facility, told commissioners that there would
also be some credits. "We'll also have some credits of about $25,000-$28,000,
which is good news," said Nissen.

Nissen explained all the change orders to the court. "We're still negotiating
those credits, when it's on this side, you always have to negotiate a little
bit harder," he said.

Nissen said that he had given the okay to Scott Thane Ditching to complete
all the underground work. "Before we came up here with the change order,
we gave them the verbal okay to complete that work, because it was a cost
saving decision," said Nissen.

Nissen said that if the company were to have left, getting the equipment
back at the facility to finish the work would have cost the county more money.

"Everything is coming together well," said Nissen, who added that the
960-bed addition's completion date has been set for the end of January.

"There were no leaks on finished roofs when it rained last," he said.

Election workers wages were approved as presented by Reeves County Clerk
Dianne Florez. Election employees will be paid $6 an hour; election judges,
$25 and $7 to cover meals.

Inmate transportation crew mileage payments were approved in the amount
of $1,444 for seven drivers.

Personnel and salary changes included at the Reeves County Sheriff's Department,
promotion for Gloria Reyes from $19,000 to $21,000 and Jerry Millan from
$19,000 to $24,000. At the Reeves County Detention Center several officers
were promoted to COII"s and their salaries went from $19,000 to $24,000,
and included, Tammi Smith, Richard Aguilar, Luz Alexander, Gloria Morrison,
Henry Mator and Alan Harris. Katrina Robertson was promoted to shift lieutenant
at the salary increase of $31,500 and new hire was Gary A. Johnson at $19,000
per year.

Schools prepare to mark attack's anniversary

By JENNIFER GALVAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Monday, Sept. 9, 2002 -- With anniversary of the September 11 terrorist
attacks on the United States only two days off, the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah
ISD counselors ask Pecos to join them in unity.

The counselors are asking everyone to wear red, white and blue on Wednesday,
September 11, in order to show their support for those who lost their lives
and honor the heroes who worked to save them and the families that were left
behind.

Over 3,000 people were killed when terrorists flew two hijacked jets into
the World Trade Center and a third into the Pentagon outside Washington,
D.C. Passengers on a fourth hijacked jet were able to fight back against
the terrorists and caused the plane to crash into a field in Pennsylvania.

A siren will sound on Wednesday, at 9:30 a.m., to remind everyone to remember
those who lost their lives in the events of that day. The counselors ask
everyone to stop what ever they are doing, put their hand over their heart
and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

"Once the sirens start at 9:30 a.m. we will go with the Pledge of Allegiance,"
Bessie Hayes' Counselor Angelic Valenzuela said. "We also ask that everyone
leave their head lights on through out the day."

Pecos High School counselor Eva Arriola said that all the counselors
in the district would be participating.

"We are going to wear red, white and blue." Arriola said. "And that is
all of the P-B-T counselors."

The Pecos Student Council also gave out flags and posters to everyone,
Arriola said.

Joining in the remembrance of the attacks on the United States of September
11, the City of Pecos will be hosting a commemoration ceremony to honor the
many innocent victims of the senseless attacks on our country will take place
in front of the Lucius D. Bunton Federal Courthouse on Cedar Street and will
begin at 9:15 a.m.

The entire community is invited to attend the ceremony, "We will never
forget, In Remembrance of 9-11," and encouraged to wear red, white and blue.

Old `gunmen' don't bite dust in inaugural Desert Biathlon

By JENNIFER GALVAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Monday, Sept. 9, 2002 -- Skill and wisdom overcame youth and speed
Saturday at what may have been the inaugural event for a new sport
_ the Desert Biathlon.

Adrian Morley of Lovington, N.M., Jimmy T. LaBaume of Alpine and Kent
Spencer of Midland posted the top three scores at the first annual "West
of the Pecos Run 'n Gun 'n the Sun" hosted by the Pecos Rifle and Pistol
Club.

All three men were competing in the senior division of the event, with
seniors being 45 years or older.

Morely, 52, posted the best score with a modified time of one hour, eight
minutes and sixteen seconds (1:08:16). LaBaume, 58, was next with a 1:21:13,
and Spencer, the youngest of the three at 45, was third with a time of 1:22:38.

"Final scores were computed by taking the actual run time for the competitor
and modifying that time by his shooting scores," Smokey Briggs, president
of the club, said.

"All three of our senior competitors posted very good run times and shot
very well. That is what this event was all about," he said.

Briggs said that the competition was based on the Olympic Biathlon, where
athletes combine cross-country skiing and shooting.

"We don't have much snow so we decided to run instead," he said.

According to Briggs the competition consisted of a five mile cross-country
run punctuated with three shooting stations. Competitors had to run with
their rifles, ammunition and any other gear.

"Runners had to be self-contained. We did not allow for any assistance
if there was an equipment malfunction," Briggs said.

At the first two shooting stations the runners had to fire 10 rounds at
paper targets. Those shots were later recorded, and the total score was used
to modify the run time. At the last shooting station runners had to knock
down five steel silhouettes at ranges out to 250 yards to proceed from the
area without taking a time penalty of five minutes for each target left standing.

"We wanted to create an event that required a competitor to both run and
shoot to do well," Briggs said. "The scoring system was weighted so that
a very fast run time without accurate marksmanship could not win nor a slow
time with very accurate shooting."

Briggs said that the club had been working on the event since March.

"We wanted to create a unique competition _ one that combined athletic
ability and marksmanship _ a biathlon. We also wanted to create an event
that would be appealing to a wide range of competitors regionally and nationally
that would be rewarding enough to justify people from outside of Pecos to
come here, spend a few nights in Pecos and enjoy themselves."

According to Briggs the club met its goals.

"I am extremely proud of this club. This was a very complicated event
to produce and we are a small club," he said. "Putting this together took
a tremendous amount of effort by club members. Despite this being the first
time any of us have participated in something like this, everything went
very smoothly."

Briggs said that safety was the club's primary concern.

"We worked for a long time to come up with standard operating procedures
and rules that would ensure the safety of our members and competitors."

"I am most proud of the fact that no one was injured and that we had no
safety violations by our competitors," he said.

Although runners ran with their rifles and ammunition they were not allowed
to load their rifles until they were escorted to the firing line by a range
officer stationed at that point.

"We had three range officers at each firing point to control the line,"
Briggs said. "It worked very well. The procedures worked well and our range
officers did an outstanding job."

Competitors left smiling, too, once they caught their breath.

"This was a great competition," Don Cook said after the race. "I think
everyone enjoyed themselves. It was challenging, safe and fun."

Cook was in the top three in the adult division comprised of competitors
younger than 45.

Briggs posted the best score in the adult division with a modified time
of 1:23:55. Cook was second with a 1:24:29 and local pharmacist Steve Valenzuela
took third with a score of 1:25:31.

Overall Cook posted the fastest run time, finishing the course in 1:07:59.

Joey Hernandez from Lubbock posted the best shooting scores on the paper
targets with a combined score of 162 points out of a possible 200.

"Cary Hannsz, one of our club members, should have won the adult division,"
Briggs said. "He was on his way to a heck of a score when his rifle malfunctioned
and effectively took him out of the competition."

"Those are the breaks," Hannsz said. "We designed this event to test man
and rifle and it did. I'm just pleased that the event went so well for the
club."

"I'll be back next year," Hannsz said.

Briggs said that the club was planning on sponsoring the event again in
2003.

Open House set Tuesday evening at Bessie Haynes

PECOS, Monday, Sept. 9, 2002 -- Open House has been set from 6-8 p.m.,
Tuesday at Bessie Haynes Elementary School, for parents of fourth and fifth
graders.

Parents and students will meet in the cafeteria for a short meeting before
being dismissed to the classrooms.

Everyone is invited to come out and meet the teachers and staff.

Police Report

EDITOR'S NOTE: Information contained in the Police Report
is obtained from reports filed by the Pecos Police Department, Reeves
County Sheriff's Office, or other officers of those agencies.

The serving of warrants by an officer for outstanding fines of either
traffic citations, animal control violations or other court costs are considered
arrests and will be printed as such unless indicated that the fines were
paid. In such instances we will indicate payment and release.

***

Tiffany Garcia,19, and Christopher Marchan, 19, were arrested at 7:57
p.m. on Sept. 6, in the 700 block of Stafford Boulevard. Both for arrested
on warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia.

***

Albert Contreras, 19, was arrested at 9:42 p.m., on Sept. 6, at Third
and Ash streets for warrants charging him with no operator's license, violation
of promise to appear, minor in possession, violation to appear Reeves County
and motion to revoke.

***

Enrique Romero, 31, was arrested at 5:53 p.m., on Sept. 7, in the 300
block of East 14th street, on a warrant for parole violation.

***

Alberto Lara, 78, was arrested at 10:52 p.m., on Sept. 7, at Uncle's
at Third and Cedar streets, on a warrant for capias default payment theft.

***

Hector Garcia, 25, was arrested at 11:52 p.m., on Sept. 7, in the 2000
block of Scott Street for assault under the family violence act.

***

Ricardo Herrera, 21, was arrested at 2:23 a.m., on Sept. 8, at Riverside
Ballroom for public intoxication.

***

Robert Hernandez, 19, was arrested at 10:41 p.m., on September 8, at
Seventh and Eddy streets on a capias warrant for default payment for no liability
insurance.

High Sun. 91. Low this morning 69. Forecast for tonight: Mostly cloudy
with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows 65 to 70. East
winds 10 to 20 mph. Tues.: Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers
and thunderstorms. Highs around 85. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Tues. night:
Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows
60 to 65. Wed.: Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Highs around 85. Thurs.: Partly cloudy with a slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows 65 to 70. Highs around 90.